Adjustable chair.



No. 667 363. Patented F b 5 I9 I J. H. GIESS. a

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

(A'pplicationfiled Apr. 14, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR awmm/ Arm/905w m: scams PETERS'OQ. PNOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, u.c..

No. 667,363. Patented Feb. 5, I91".

J. H. GIESS.

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR.

(Application filed Apr. 14, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shoot 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

JOSEF HERMANN GIESS, OF CONSTANCE, GERMANY.

ADJU STABLE CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,363, dated February5, 1901.

Application filed April 14, 1900. Serial No. 12,925. (No models To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnr HERMANN GIESS, a subject of the Grand Duke ofBaden, residing at Constance, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Empire ofGermany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention includes the features and combinations and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, and then particularly pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in both figures.

The drawings show the adjustable chair, without the cushions.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the chair taken on the line A B,Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is atop view of the chair.

The back-section a of the chairis carried on each side by a curved armb, which is rigidly connected with a depending lever d, being pivoted atc to the framework of the chair. By means of a rod is each lever 61 isattached to a lever Z, which is supported by means of a pivot 14 on thefront part of the framework. Each lever Z is connected by means of a rodm with the leg-section n. The latter is provided with two lateral pivotso, by means of which it worksin two slots to of the front seatrail 16.Two rods 8, sliding in guide-pieces 7 of the leg-section n and beingbent off in an angle, carry the footboard 2. To the lower side of theleg-section 'n brackets 3 are affixed, into which a shaft 4: isjournaled. To each end of the said shaft an arm 5 is rigidly connected,to which a rod 6 is pivoted, the other end of which is attached to oneof the rods 8 of the foot-section. At the middle of the shaft A an arm 9is fixed, to the free end of which a rod 10 is hinged. The other endofthe said rod 10 is pivoted to an arm 15, being suspended from a rail 13of the seat-frame.

In Fig. 1 a middle position of the movable parts of the chair is shownin full lines, while both end positions of the said parts-seat positionand stretched or lying positionare represented by dotted lines. Issuingfrom the seat position and pushing the back-section a backward, theleg-section n, being in the vertical position, will be pushed forwardparallelly to itself by means of the curved arms I), levers d, rods 10,levers Z, and rods m until the pivots v, sliding within the slots w,arrive at the front end of the slots. If the back-section is furtherpushed backward,

the leg-section n will be now raised by the push of the rods and m,while it swings on its pivots o, and brought into the stretchedhorizontal position. The footboard being pulled to the leg-section 01during the seat position remains in this position until the rod 15,about in its vertical position, pushes with its shoulder 11 against therail 13, thus preventing the said arm 15 from further being swungforward. At the further raising of the leg-section n the arm 9, beingretained with its free end by the arm 15 and the rod 10, effects apartial rotation of the shaft 4. Consequently the rods 8 of thefoot-section will be pushed forward by means of the arms 5 and rods 6,and the footboard 2 is stretched forward on the leg-section n for thepurpose of enabling the legs to be completely stretched out. On theother hand, at the reverse movements of the mechanism the shaft 4; willbe rotated in the reverse direction on account of the connection of thearm 9 with the rod 10 and the arm 15, so that the footboard 2 will bedrawn close to the leg-section 'n for the purpose of being entirely outof the way, when the leg section is folded downward. The leg-section nswings first/into the vertical position, whereupon it will be pushedbackward in the slots w beneath the seat. As during the seat position ofthe chair the legsection n is drawn from the front edge of the seatfarther to the rear, a more comfortable sitting than hitherto iseffected, as the leg- 1 means of which the said ratchet-bar engages alocking-pin u. The free end of each ratchet bar 10 is connected by meansof a member q with an arm 0", which is fixed to a horizontal shaft 15,being journaled into the framework beneath the seat. vided at its oneend-for instance, right endwith a handle 8, by means of which the shaft15 can be'rotated. One of the arms r is provided with a finger 12, Fig.1,which is brought under the action of a spring 11 being fixed to theframework. By means of the said spring the ratchet-bars p are constantlykept in engagement with the locking-pins 'Lb, thus ar-- resting theadjusting mechanism in any desired position. If one intends to adjust orfold the chair, the handle 8 is pushed downward, whereby the shaft isrotated and the ratchet-bars p are put out of engagement with thelocking-pins u, so that the adjusting mechanism may be operated. If oneceases to press the handle 8 downward, the spring y efiects theautomatical rengagement of the ratchet-bars p and locking-pins u.Therefore the adjustment of the chair may be effected during onesitting, respectively, lying upon the samefor instance, in such a mannerthat one operates the handle 8 with the right hand in order to releasethe ratchet-bar from the locking-pin u, whereupon one pushes theleft-arm support 17 forward or backward with his left hand, thussimultaneously adjusting all the movable parts of the chairs, asdescribed, and finally one releases or frees the handle for the purposeof locking the mechanism. The arm-supports 17 are pivoted withtheir oneend to the back-section a, while their front ends are carried each by astandard 18, being jointed to the framework, respectively to thearmssupport.

In the drawings the manner is represented according to which theback-section a may be adjusted by itself on its arms I), besides itsadjustment effected by the adjusting mechanism combining all the partsof the chair. For this purpose the back-section is not rigidly connectedto the arms I), but by means of pivots 0. In order to fix, respectivelyto lock, the back-section a in different positions to the arms I), atoothed segment e is provided on the latter, .which can be brought intoengagement with a pawl g, being pivoted to the back-section a. The freeends of the pawls g are each connected by a membe'r'i to arms h,whichare fixed to a shaftj, being journaled into the back-section a, and thusboth pawls 9 will be simultaneously operated. A spring 19 keeps thepawls in engagement with the The said shaft t is pro-' toothed segments6. In order torelease the pawls, one of the same is connected by meansof a member 20 to a crank-piece f, being attached to the back-section Ctand formed with a handle, as shown in Fig. 2. By turning the said handlethe pawls g are released, whereupon the back-section may be adjusted orswung on its arms b around the pivots 0.

An essential improvement of the aforedescribed adjustable chair consistsin that by supporting the back-section a to the curved arms I) theback-section moves a certain distance forward across the seat, whilewhen being folded down the back-section moves backward unto the rearedge of the seat. (See the two dotted positions of the back-section,Fig. l.) Hereby the effect will be obtained that the seat can be mademuch longer than hitherto. Therefore at the lying position of the chaira larger supportin -surface is created without having as consequence adiscomfortable sitting at the seat position on behalf of theseat-surface being too long, as just at the latter position theseat-surface will be correspondingly shortened by the forward movementof the back-section.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a chair having a pivoted leg-support and meansfor tilting the same, a foot-support carried by the leg-support andhaving sliding movement independent thereof, and a rod with operatingconnections for giving the foot-rest a positive movement both inwardlyand outwardly as the legsupport is raised and lowered, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a chair having a leg-support pivotally connectedtherewith, of a foot-support having a sliding connection with theleg-support, and means for automat ically operating the same as theleg-support is raised, substantially as described. 3. In combination,the seat portion and frame, the pivoted leg -support, depending armspivoted to the seat-frame, arc-shaped arms rigidly secured to thedepending arms, the back adjustably secured to the arc-shaped arm, andmeans interposed between the depending arm and the. leg-support foroperating the same, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

J OSEF HERMANN GIESS. Witnesses:

HANS KOLLER, J AKOB ABDERHALDEN.

